Anyone who purchases or applies pesticides classified as “Restricted Use” must complete a sanctioned Pesticide Certification Course. There are opportunities to obtain your certification or recertification for private applicators scheduled this spring. Private applicators are defined as those purchasing or applying restricted use pesticides without compensation, other than the trading of services between producers. If you work for a company that applies chemicals for hire, you will need to be certified under Commercial/Dealer. Call the Extension office for any questions about commercial licensing or visit: http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pesticide.

Renewing your expiring valid private pesticide applicator license simply requires attending recertification training and paying $30 for the renewal per category. Your private applicator certification is valid for 3 years. Current private pesticide certificate holders who need to recertify before April 1, 2019 can attend one of these local trainings which are approximately 3 hours long and cover various sprayer safety, weed and chemical topics.

Listed below are dates and locations of scheduled trainings. Pre-registration is required to attend a training session and can be done by calling the McKenzie County Extension office at 701-444-3451.

Becoming a new certified private applicator requires completing a general category open book 60-question exam with at least a 70% passing score. The cost of study materials, general exam and certification card is $30. Study materials are available at our office. Private applicators have the option of taking a shorter 30-question exam IF they attend a private applicator certification training prior to testing.

Fumigation and vertebrate are additional categories available to private applicators that are interested in applying fumigants to control either small pests in structures or to vertebrates such as prairie dogs. Any applicator interested in these categories must first pass the general exam. The fumigation or vertebrate exams will cost an additional $30. Like the general category, these certifications will expire after three years and will require attending a recertification training for renewal. There are no shorter test options with these two categories.

If you would like more information or have additional questions, please feel free to give the McKenzie County Extension Office a call.